How To Survive Life's Storms

How To Survive Life’s Storms

Psalm 62:1-7

Last year, the highly populated northeast was getting ready for an uninvited guest. A category one hurricane, was so large they Weather Channel dubbed it “Superstorm Sandy” The storm destroyed stretches of land along the Jersey shore and was at one point almost 1,000 miles wide.

There are times in life when we as children of God face certain storms…. Then, there are times when we face extreme storms, storms unlike any we have ever faced before! A “Superstorm” so to speak.

The Psalm that we have read is one of those times for King David:

Description of the Psalm - The superscription here is “To the chief Musician, to Jeduthun, A Psalm of David.” He was one of the chief musicians. Apparently he led the choir when this psalm was used.

This is a simple psalm. It is one of simple faith. It reveals a faith and confidence in God that is akin to a child’s faith in his parents. – J. Vernon McGee

Background – 2 Samuel 15:30 And David went up by the ascent of mount Olivet, and wept as he went up, and had his head covered, and he went barefoot: and all the people that was with him covered every man his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up.

David is at a very disturbing and discouraging time in his life. His son, Absalom is seeking to forcefully ascend to his throne. At this point you would think that David may be bitter or questioning God… Quite the contrary… David uses this occasion to sing praises unto the Lord!

How is it that David could be so positive in this storm? How could he set forth an example of praise? That is what I would like to consider this evening.

What is the prescription for enduring a storm in your life? How can you survive.. what should you do? We find 3 things in this Psalm that I would like to consider. The first is:

I. Wait Patiently v1-4

A. Wait Patiently When Your Enemies Attack - v3 How long will ye imagine mischief against a man? ye shall be slain all of you: as a bowing wall shall ye be, and as a tottering fence. 4 They only consult to cast him down from his excellency: they delight in lies: they bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly. Selah.

David says many are coming against him, they are trying to kill him! They saw him as a broken-down wall Their plan was to remove him from the throne. They were telling lies about him They were two-faced (praising him to his face and speaking evil behind his back)

There are some who were loyal to The King and others who were going after Absalom. At this point David has a good idea who is with him and who is against him. David’s trusted advisor Ahithophel has betrayed him and join ranks with Absalom. Also at this point in David’s life Ziba came and falsely accused Mephibosheth of turning on him

Have you ever been there? Have you ever felt that you were all alone in the fight and couldn’t trust anyone? Maybe you are there right now… HOW SHOULD YOU RESPOND?

Respond by waiting upon the Lord! - Psalms 46:10 Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen; I will be exalted in the earth.

It seems that when you are facing difficulty there is always someone present to kick you while you are down. Consider the actions of a man named Shimei - 2 Samuel 16:5 ¶And when king David came to Bahurim, behold, thence came out a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera: he came forth, and cursed still as he came. 6 And he cast stones at David, and at all the servants of king David: and all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left. 7 And thus said Shimei when he cursed, Come out, come out, thou bloody man, and thou man of Belial: 8 The LORD hath returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned; and the LORD hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son: and, behold, thou art taken in thy mischief, because thou art a bloody man.

There is no way that Shimei would have cursed the King when he was on the throne! David had a servant named Abishai who sought vengeance on Shimei but David patiently handled the situation and continued on his journey even as Shimei cast (literal) stones at him. How could David handle this attack with such grace? How could David continue to sing in this storm? Because He “Waited Patiently”